1. Field of the Invention
A module latching arrangement for mounting and dismounting on a generally U-shaped support rail at least two module base bodies arranged orthogonally above and extending transversely across the support rail, a foot member being connected with a first base body for horizontal longitudinal sliding movement between locked and unlocked positions relative to the adjacent support rail horizontal flange portion. A lateral displacement arrangement on the foot member is operable, when the foot member is displaced from a locked position toward an unlocked position relative to the support rail, to displace the first base body laterally away from an adjacent second base body mounted on the support rail.
2. Description of Related Art
For wiring electrical subassemblies, for example, electrical conductors and/or bus systems and/or modules of complex electronic equipment, one frequently provides panel boxes and switch cabinets in which one can align the electrical subassemblies next to each other on a mounting rail. Such electrical subassemblies, for example, are so-called connection modules or blocks that are used not only in production engineering but also for the interfacing of complex networks. By virtue of this modular alignment, the connection modules can be rearranged in many different ways despite their complexity even after installation with a comparatively minor effort and individual electrical subassemblies are exchangeable.
In such especially standardized panel boxes and switch cabinets, it is also necessary to displace the electrical subassemblies so that they will directly rest against each other.
In this connection, the electrical subassemblies should, on the one hand, be separable from each other as easily and as quickly as possible. On the other hand, they should not by themselves separate from each other, especially in a vibration-stressed environment such as it is often found, for example, in the field of production engineering.
The German patent No. DE 299 16 303 U1 discloses a connection module where the electrical subassemblies that are lined up parallel with respect to each other on the mounting rail can be separated from each other in that their mutual parallelism is canceled out. But it takes a lot of structural space to push these units apart from each other so that there must be a longer part of the mounting rail for the mutual separation of the electrical subassemblies, which means that no additional electrical subassemblies can be mounted there.
Furthermore, it is possibly advantageous in the mutually adjoining walls of mutually adjoining electrical subassemblies in each case to provide electrical contacts that contact with each other when the electrical subassemblies are arranged mutually resting against each other. The cancellation of parallelism and therefore an oblique separation of mutually adjoining electrical subassemblies from each other, however, depending on the particular model of the electrical contacts provided in mutually adjoining walls, for example, in the case of electrical contacts that are made in the form of plug and socket systems, is no longer readily possible. This is because, depending on the structural shape of the contacts, there is the danger that the electrical contacts might be jammed against each other, causing short-circuits, or that the electrical contacts in the process might be damaged or even destroyed.
The present invention was developed to create a subassembly, in particular, an electrical subassembly that can be mutually lined up on a mounting rail which, in a simple manner, quickly, without damage and using as little structural space as possible, can be separated from an adjoining subassembly even if on mutually adjoining side walls there are provided lined-up adjoining subassemblies, in particular, electrical contacts, whereby the subassembly facilitates a secure line-up, in particular, in vibration-stressed environments, so that there will be no danger of a self-actuated mutual separation of several lined-up subassemblies, and whereby the subassembly can be made at reasonable cost.